YUCE Schools

Founded in 1988 by educator Yücel Kalınyazgan, the school prioritizes the human element over mere information, focusing on holistic development, critical thinking, and responsibility. It emphasizes a student-centered approach that values national heritage while maintaining an international perspective. The institution aims to cultivate free-thinking, ethical, and socially responsible individuals through a culture of trust, respect, and lifelong learning.

The school is the only IB Continuum school in Ankara, offering the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The curriculum integrates MEB requirements with IB standards, utilizing a transdisciplinary approach. Foreign language instruction follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and is accredited by EAQUALS. The academic structure includes Yüce Preschool, Primary School, Middle School, Fen Lisesi, and Kolej, all of which emphasize inquiry-based learning, artificial intelligence literacy, and the development of core competencies over rote memorization.

The school provides individual and academic guidance services focused on responsibility. These services are designed to help students develop self-regulation skills and enable them to solve their own problems. Additionally, the school employs a process-oriented, feedback-based assessment system to continuously monitor and support individual student progress.

The school employs a structured, multi-step admissions process designed to understand the student holistically and create a tailored educational plan. Requirements vary by level: Preschool accepts students based on age (5 for Pre-Prep, 6 for Prep) and interviews; Primary school admissions are based on capacity and interviews; Middle school admissions are determined by scholarship and entrance exam results; and High school (Fen Lisesi and Kolej) admissions are based on LGS or school entrance exam results, with international students requiring a MEB equivalence certificate.

The 2025-2026 academic year runs from September 1, 2025, to June 19, 2026. The calendar includes a mid-term break in November (November 10-14, 2025), a semester break in January (January 19-30, 2026), and a second mid-term break in March (March 16-20, 2026). The schedule also accounts for national and religious holidays, including Republic Day, New Year's Day, Ramadan Bayram, National Sovereignty and Children's Day, Labor Day, Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, and Kurban Bayram.

The campus features modern, innovative physical spaces designed to support the school's educational philosophy and technology-integrated learning. These environments are structured to reflect real-life dynamics, fostering both individual and academic development. The school also maintains specialized thematic classrooms and applied learning workshops to facilitate hands-on, play-based education.